There are several reasons why the act was permissive, the main one being the protection of property rights. Many felt the act was an infringement of such rights, including many within the party, who pressurised Richard Cross against making it compulsory. Also, it may have been seen to be an attack on landlords, traditional Tory voters. As well as this, it was passed in a time where the Government adopted a predominately laissez-faire attitude to politics. Disraeli proclaimed in June 1875: "Permissive legislation is the characteristic of a free people".[1] - Permissiveness